Hello friend,

You might remember the Nature vs Nurture debate. It used to be quite a popular question used to determine if our traits are learned or inherited. There was never an answer but the ol’ college professors sure liked us to debate about it!

It was during the era of DNA being the predictor of everything. Before the human genome project was complete. My Mom, an RN, used to tell me I would eventually get Dupuytren’s Contracture because of my Norwegian heritage. And she had it too. But, as with everything else, times have changed.

Now we have epigenetics.

Epigenetics is the study of how genes can be turned on or off by factors beyond the DNA sequence, such as environmental

influences and behavior. These changes don’t alter the DNA code itself but can impact how cells read and utilize it, affecting traits and health outcomes. Epigenetic modifications are reversible and can be inherited by offspring, creating a connection between generations and their experiences.

Let’s put this in the context of the autonomic nervous system, shall we!

Short term epigenetic expression is different moment to moment if one is currently in a sympathetic state or parasympathetic state. Medium term expression (7-10 days) is in reference to things like illness or eye color. Long term expression is also different depending on the dominant state of the nervous system. Internal thought patterns fall under this last category.

If a person has the gene for cancer, that alone does not predict if they will have cancer. But approximately 85% of cancers are associated with hyper-sympathetic nervous system activation.

And here is how it is playing out for one of our clients: "My work with Amy has been transformative on both a physical and emotional level. Not only has this work expanded my bandwidth to work with clients while staying regulated and in my own nervous system, but my blood work has also changed. I have genetic predisposition for high cholesterol and cardiovascular disease and through my work with Amy was able to lower my lipoprotein A level (which I was previously told I could not because it was genetic) as well as my myeloperoxidase (MPO) by 1000 points. My doctor asked me what I was doing differently and it's literally just this. Run, don't walk, to work with Amy. It will change your life on multiple levels."

Onwards, Amy

PS Sorry, Mom, I don’t have Dupuytren’s Contracture

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